Cutting and coating machine



April 7, 931- H. H. WE AVER ET AL 18,035

CUTTING AND COATING MACHINE Original Filed April 7, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i -imw M mi ml 62 g 7 mi bnn [0111 m IIW J07 J05 NW April 7, 1931. H. H. WEAVER ET AL 18,035

CUTTING AND COATING MACHINE Original Filed April '7, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 7 1931. VE Re. 18,035

CUTTING AND COATING MACHINE Original Filed April '7, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 zz 20 M 5 mm- E 1%) 50 ig/mar W 177726710 flfiokm Reissued Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED sraras PATENT OFFICE HERBERT H. WEAVER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND EMERSON A. 'IBOLEN, OF MORRIS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO NORTHWESTERN CORPORATION, OF MORRIS, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CUTTING AND COATING MACHINE Original No. 1,647,594, dated November 1, 1927, Serial No. 630,456, filed April 7, 1923. Application for reissue filed January 18, 1929.

This invention relates to instrumentalities for converting edible substances into deli cacies and more particularly to instrumentalities for processing ice cream.

It contemplates more especially the provision of a machine constituting a novel conr bination of elements for automatically p'roducing ice cream coated bars of the type commercially termed Eskimo pie, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

Numerous devices have heretofore been proposed for processing edible substances such as soft centers and the like with a view of enrobing the surfaces thereof with chocolate or other coatings. These are primarily adapted to receive sized or preformed centers composed of substances possessing amore or less stable character.

Congealed substances such as ice cream, ices and the like are too unstable to admit of processing for conversion into unit delicacies with devices 0 known construction. In fact, such substances must be sized, coated and packed for shipment or storage in a sequence of timed operations with rapidity and minimum handling.

' As a consequence, the individual steps in processing substances of the character mentioned, must be executed with timed precision and speed so that the thermal effects thereon will be reduced to the minimum. In view thereof the substances must be impaled and conveyed along a predetermined path of movement, thereby requiring novel mechanical ex edients coordinated in a novel and heretoliire unknown manner to accomplish the desired result. v

One object of the present invention is the provision of a novel combination of instrumentalities operable in timed sequence to process articles of the character mentioned.

Another object is the provision of an automatically operable device for producing edible coated articles with the utmost sanitation and without entailing much lab-or.

Still another object is the provision of novel, simple and inexpensive combination of instrumentalities for sizing, coating and delivering articles in a rapid sequence of Serial No. 333,398.

operation without requiring numerous attendants and skilled supervision.

A further object is the provision of novel means for processing articles in the production of uniform coated units with speed and minimum thermal affect thereon.

A still further object is to provide novel means for coordinating the operation of feeding, coating, and delivery mechanism in timed sequence for converting edible substances into unit delicacies with the utmost sanitation, speed and uniformity.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention:

In the drawin s: v

Figure 1 is a p an View of a device embodying features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view of a cam mechanism taken substantially along line IVIV of F igure 3.

Figure 5 is a view taken substantially along line VV of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view in elevation of a cam mechanism taken substantially along line VIVI of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line VII-VII ofFigure 3.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along line XIXI of Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken substantially along line IXIX of Figure 1 showing the coating mechanism.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along line XX of Figure 3 showing an impaling device.

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation showing an individual article holder rod or impaling device carrier.

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken substaning of edible substances The structure selected for illustration comrises a frame, in this instance, a flat table top 10 supported on vertical cornerstandards 11. The standards 11 are'braced by crossmembers 12 and 13 nailed or otherwise secured thereto in any appropriate manner at spaced vertical distances to provide a rigid frame structure. In order to enable the feedsuch as slabs of ice cream alongapredetermined path for processin an endless conveyor belt 14 composed of fa ric or other suitable material is supported between spaced rollers 15 and 16. It will be observed that the roller 15 is considerably larger than the roller 16, the former being carried by a shaft 17 in any suitable bearing sup orts 18 secured adjacent the sustaining sur ace of the frame top 10.

As a consequence, the substance sustaining surface of the conveyor 14 moves in parallelism with the top 10 at a distance a proximating the diameter of the roller 16 aving the periphery thereof in frictional engagement with the conveyor 14. The conveyor 14 is preferably though not essentially rovided with apertures 19 along the longitu inal median line thereof to cooperate with c0rre spondingly spaced pegs 20 which protrude from the periphery of the roller 15 intermediate the ends thereof to Xgeclude any possible slip therebetween. a conse uence, rotary movement of the. roller 15 will impart linear movement to the'conveyor 14 at a linear velocity corresponding with the peripheral velocity ofthe roller 15 without any possible slip therebetween or extreme tension on the conveyor belt 14.

The belt 14 is guided in its traverse by means of an elon ated channelled member 21 which corresponds in thickness with the diameter of the roller 16 for dis osition between the confronting surfaces 0 the belt 14 on the table top 10, thereby guiding and preventing the belt 14 from sagging under the weight of the substance carried thereon. The belt sag preventing member 21 is supported at one end b j brackets 21 which serve as a bearin for t e roller 16 while the other end thereo is supported by the bearing bracket 18, thereby permitting rotary movement thereof in unison with the linear traverse of the. belt 14 which is in frictional contact with the periphery of the roller 15 driven intermittently as will more clearly appear hereinafter. The slabs of ice cream or other edible substances are placed on the conveyor belt 14 for movement to a cutting station for severan'ceinto uniform segments or units of any predetermined size.

g The sizing or, cutting device consists, in this instance, of spaced vertical knife supporting members 22. which project through slots 23 provided in the table top 10 near the discharge end of the conveyor 14. The members 22 are held in spaced fixed relation by a cross member 24 fixed to the upper extremities thereof by any suitable fasteners such as the screws 25. Another cross-member 26 bridges the spaced vertical knife carrying members 22 below the table top 10. Reciprocal, intermittent, vertical movement is imparted thereto for guidance in grooves 27 which are formed in guide members 28 depending from the table top 10 in confronting relation to receive the knife carriers 22 therebetween. The guides 28 are disposed beneath a cutting block 30 which is positioned on the table 10 adjacent to the discharge end of the conveyor 14 moving intermittently in a counter clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 3). The block 30 is preferably though not essentially provided with transversely spaced notches 31 having inclined bottoms communicatingwith an edge 32 thereof to prevent the accumulation of waste material occasioned by the cutting or severingoperation. 7

It is to be noted that the spaced standards 22 have a severing blade or knife instrumentality 33 fixed thereto in any suitable manner so that the tapered or cutting edge 34 thereof will be in confrontingrelation with the cutting block 30 along a line where the notches 31 merge with the sustaining surface of the. cutting block 30. The notches 31 receive whatever waste material which may result responsive to the descent of the-standards 22 carrying the severing instrumentality or blade 33 therewith in the direction of the cutting block 30 which receives the substance slab from the conveyor belt 14. It is to be noted that the knife 33 descends during the rest period of the conveyor 14 which moves intermittently vated position. In order to stance from bein carried upwardly-with the ascent of the kni e 33, a retaining member of novel construction is provided in association therewith. 1

The retaining member consists, in this in stance, of a readily flexible bowed strap 34 conforming in width with the standard 22 for support by a rod 35 secured intermediate the ends thereof for sliding projection through the cross member 24. The rod 35' terminates in a head 36 which serves as a stop for a retractile spiral spring 37 enveloping the rod 35 above the cross member 34. The spring 37 has its extremity 38 secured to-the'rod 35 near the head 36 while the other extremity 39 thereof is secured, to the cross member 24 to resiliently suspend and urge downwardl y the bowed retaining member or flexible strap 34. The extremities of the strap 34 first contact with the slab of ice cream or other substance supported on the block 30 while the knife 33 descends. the bowed strap 34 gradually loses its curvature to contact with the surface of the sub stance, thereby holding such against movementduring the descent of the knife 33%- while the knife is in its eleprevent the sub- With the descent of the knife 33, I

tirely through the substance to sever a unit therefrom. With the ascent of the knife 33, the retaining member 34 gradually assumes its bowed shape in order to prevent the substance from adhering thereto or the knife 33 in ascent thereof.

To" insure the severing of the substance into uniform segments or units, av measuring device is asso'ci-ated with the severing instrumentality. The measuring device consists, in this instance, of a transverse stop member 40 riveted or otherwise fastened to spaced brackets 41 having articulated portions 42 secured to each of the standards 22, thereby supporting the stop member 40 a predetermined distance from the knife 33. This distance constitutes the width of the bar or unit to which the substance is sized prior to being coated in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter. It will be apparent that the stop member 40 is positioned in the path of the substance conveyed to cutting block 30 by the conveyor 14 during the advance thereof, thereby stopping the movement thereof at a predetermined position just prior to or simultaneous with the stopping of the belt 14 which moves intermittently. The descent of the knife 33 will sever the substance into a segment of predetermined size while the stop member 40 descends through a slot 43 provided in the table top 10' to permit the knife 33 to make a full descent in contact with the cutting block 30.

After the ascent of the knife 33, the segment or unit constituting the core of the finished article is carried, to a coating fluid by means of instrumentalities ope'ratlng intermittently in timed sequence with the severing device. The coating is effected through the medium of any suitable core transferring de-' vice, in this instance constituting impaling means carried by a rack which comprises a circumferential band 44. The band 44 is supported by means of radially disposed spokes 45 terminating in a hub secured to a vertical shaft 46.- The spokes 45 are preferably braced by means of an intermediate ring 47 to reinforce the structure. The shaft 46 is journalled in abearing47 constituting a part of a plate 48 secured to the under side of the table 10, the bearing 47 projecting above the top surface thereof through a suitable aperture '49 formed therein, thereby providing sufiicient lateral support for the shaft 46 and its accessories.

As shown, the band 44 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced brackets 50, in this instance sixteen, pivotally carried by screws 51 projecting therethrough and serving as supports therefor. The

' brackets are each provided with spaced lugs 53 which receive pins 54 therethrough to pivotally carry vertically extending article holder rods 55, the pins 54 preferably being of the cotter-pin type to enable the ready association and disassociation of the rods. 55 therewith. The article holder rods 55 extend downwardly to receive any suitable impaling devices thereon which, in this instance, consist of a wire 56 terminating in spaced right angular prongs 57. The prongs 57 extend outwardly to impale the cores for conveyance to the coating station responsive to the intermittent arrival of successive impaling devices 56 adjacent the cutting block 30 or cutting station subsequent to each timed intermittent advance of the conveying belt 14.

To this end, a kicker-bar 58 projects through an opening 59 in the table 10 rearwardly of the cutting block 30 for pivotal connection to a lug 60 carried" by the plate 48 by means of a pin 61. The kicker-bar 58 is caused to pivot in a clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 3') subsequent to the descent of the knife 33 and the rack 44 with an impaling device 56 disposed adjacent a severed core so as to effect the impalement thereof for conveyance to the coating station. The coating station comprises a tank 62 positioned on" the table for confining any suitable coating liquid such as chocolate therein. It will be apparent that the coating tank 62 is so positioned relative to the rack 44 so that an impaling device 56"ca'rryi-ng a core will be immersed therein while another impaling device stops at the cutting station to simultaneously dip a core and then impale another. The dipping or coating is effected responsive tot'he descent ofthe rack 44 cm ried vby the shaft 46in amanner that will be more fully described hereinafter.

The descent of the rack- 44 is only'momentary and only of s'ufiicient duration-to impale a core and quickly immerse another in the coating fluid for only a brief timein-order to prevent any substantial thermal change of the processed substance which, in the instance of ice cream, is of a very unstable nature. Subsequent to dipping, the rack 44 ascends and then turns to carry the cores after immersion for a space of time to enable or promote the congelation of the coating substance thereon. At this time, the coated cores may be removed from the impaling prongs 56 by hand, mechanical device or wrapping mechanism. It is necessary or at least highly desirable to applya wrapper to articles of this character for sanitation purposes and to improve the keeping qualities thereof, although this may be accomplished by manual or automatic mechanism as commercial practice may dictate. I i

The rack 44 is provided with'aplurality of holder rods 55, each having impaling prongs 56', in this instance sixteen, which are successively moved or rotated to the cutting station at intermittent intervals in timed sequence with the intermittent linear movemen or advances of the conveyor belt14. The belt 14- carries thesub'stance-to' the cutting bloclrfor effecting the severance thereof iato'pmedetermined units or cores at intervals corresponding with the movement of the impalingdevi'ces or coreholders 56. These instrumentalities are actuated in timed sequence by means-of; any suitable power source such as an'electrical motor 59 supported by the cross-member 13 so that the armature shaft 60 thereof will carry a pulley 61 in alignment with a pulley 62 on a transverse shaft 63. The shaft 63 is supported in a bearing bracket 64 depending from the bed plate 48 disposed beneath the table top 10 for attachment to the underside thereof in any appropriate manner. r

'A belt 65is in frictional contact with the pulleys 61 and 62 to impart continuous rotary movement tothe latter having the shaft 63 thereof carrying a worm 66 which meshes with a worm wheel 67 carried by a shaft 68. The shaft 68 is disposed transversely of the shaft 63 for support in brackets 69 and 69 the former being integrally or otherwise associated with the plate 48 for depending suprt therefrom The bearing bracket 69 ridges the de nding cutter frame guides 28 beneath the tabl 10 to maintain them in rigid spaced relation and also to support the shaft 68; The shaft 68 has the extremit thereof provided with a'spur gear 70 whic is fixed thereto to mesh with a spur gear 71 carried by an auxiliary shaft 72 ournalled in bracketc 7 3 which are secured to-the table top 10. The brackets 73 depend from the table top 10 near the forward end of; the table to support the shaft 72' having an extension 74 thereof projecting beyond the end of the table 10 to carry an interrupted or deformed worm 75 proximate'to the extremit thereof.

The worm 75 meshes wit a worm wheel 7 6 fixed to the shaft 17 which carries the driving roller 15 in frictional contact with the conveyor. belt 14, thereb intermittently movin the belt 14 towards t e cuttin station to fee the substance thereto intimec l sequence with the cutting instrumentalities. The intermittent movement of the belt 14 is effected by providing the worm 75'with a deformed convolution which advances the belt 14a predeterminedidistancenecessa to properly size the substance into core wi ths responsive to the rotation of the shaft extremity 74. The belt 14 then rests to lpermit the operation of the knife 33 during t e interval of rotation of the worm 75 along that portion 7 5 of the convolution which is straight or normal to its longitudinal axis ratherv than curved to define a helix constituting the driving portion of the worm" 7 5. This helical portion of the worm 7 5 is in continuity with the straight portion 75' which determines the eriod of rest 'of the belt '14 while the remain er of the convolution efi'ects the traverse thereof.

To operate the severing instrumentality,

in this instance the knife 33 in timed sequence with theconveyor belt 14, so that the descent thereof will be effected during the rest period of the belt 14, a cam-77 is mounted on the shaft 68 toprovide a camming edge 78. A cam follower or actuator 79 is fixed to the cross member 26 of the spaced knife carrying standards 22 to effect the ascent and descent thereof controlled by the cam follower 79 which coacts with the edge 78 of the cam 77. As a consequence, the knife 33 will descend while the belt 14 is maintained stationary, and the full ascent thereof effected just prior to again initiating the movement of the conveypr belt 14 toward the cutting block 30.

ith-the ascent of the knife 33, the rack 44 which issupported by the shaft 46 descends in that the lower extremity thereof is provided with an axially disposed relatively rotatable pintle 80 carrying a roller 80 journalled therein to serve as a cam follower coacting with the periphery of a cam 81. A rod 80" extends from the cam follower pintle 80 for projection into the channel of the bracket 69, thereby preventing rotation of the pintle 80. The cam 81 is fixed to the shaft 68 for rotation in unison therewith to elevate and effect the descent of the rack 44 substantially in timed relation with the corresponding vertical movement of the knife 33. Subsequent to impalement of the core 82 followed by the full ascent of the lmife 33 and the rack 44, the latter is again rotated a predetermined extent while the belt 14 advances so that the successive picker or core holder rod 55 will be in alignment with the cutting block 30 to bring its impaler prong or fingers 57 adjacent to the face of the core 82 with the successive descent of the rack 44. The full de- .scent of the rack 44 with its article holders 55 brings this particular impaling prong 56 in confronting relation with the core 82 constituting the unit just severed from the substance carried forward by the conveyor belt The shaft 46 is provided with a gear 84 having a plurality of uniformly spaced teeth corresponding in number with the core or article holders 55 uniformly s aced around the circumference of the rack and 44. The gear 84 meshes with a pinion 85 carried by a stud shaft 8.6 journalled in a boss 87 constituting an integral portion of the plate 48. As shown, the shaft 86 projects downwardly to carry the pinion 85 in alignment with the gear 84 just beneath the plate 48. The pinion 85 has a single tooth 88 formed thereon to rotate the gear 84 the distance of one tooth res onsive to every revolution of the shaft 86 w ich is operatively geared to the shaft 68 by means of meshing bevel gears 89 and 90 fixed to the shafts 86 and 68, respectively, to impart rotati'on thereto. It is to be noted that each revolution of the shaft 68 will intermittently movethe rack 44 the distance of one article holder 55' or impaler prong 56 just prior to -;a clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 3). This is effected by means of a roller cam follower 91 which is secured to the extremity of the kicker bar 58 to cooperate with the camming surface 92 formed on the face of the cam 72 opposite to the camming surfacev 78. The cam follower 91 is normally kept in contacting relation with the camming surface 92 by virtue of a spring 93 having one extremity thereof secured to the lug 94 carried by the kicker bar 58 while the other extremity thereof is anchored to a lug 95 formed on the boss 87, thereby maintaining the cam follower 91 in contact with the camming surface 92.

With the arrangement of parts thus far described it will be apparent that the conveyor belt 14 intermittently carries the substance, in this instance slabs of ice cream, to the cutting station 30 in contact with the stop 40 fixed to the cutting frame 22. At this time, the belt 14 momentarily stops its advance to permit the severing mechanism including the knife 33 to descend for travel through the substance on the block 30, thereby successively sizing the substance into rectangular cores 82 at intermittent intervals.

While the knife 33 is in its elevated position,

an article holder 55 with its impaling device 56 is brought in alignment with the core 82 by the partial rotation of the rack 44. The.

rack 44 with its article holders 55 then descends to enable the impaling device 56 at .the cutting station to become embedded in the care 82 owing to .the clockwise movement (viewed from Figure 3) of the kicker bar 58 during the time the knife 33 is momentarily held in its lowermost position. The rack 44 then ascends with the impaled core '82 and rotates until the succeeding article holder 55 arrives at the cutting station 30 for another descent substantially simultaneous with the operation of the knife 33. The belt 14 moves the substance in contact with the stop 40 just prior to the descent'of the knife '33. Thereupon the rack 44 again descends to bring the succeeding impaling device 56 in alignment with the succeeding core 82 while the preceding core simultaneously descends for immersion in .the coating confined in thetank 62. With the ascent of the rack 44, further rotation thereof intermittently effected .to carry the coated bars for a space of time allowing the congelationv ofthe coating thereon until reaching the discharge station where they are removed either bymanualormechanical means as commercial practice may dictate for the purpose of applylng a wrapper thereto.

To facilitate the dripping of the. coat n from the core prior to congelation incident .to the'movement thereof over a drip pan 96,

manner more fully described hereinabove. The article holders 55 are normally held in a vertical position by means of a coil spring 97. v

The spring 97 has one extremity thereof secured to the band 44 as at 98 while the other extremity is anchored to a lug 99 integrally or otherwise associated with the article holders 55, thereby positioning the article holders bars 55 in their extreme counterclockwise or vertical position (viewed from Figure 9). This extreme position is controlled by a set screw 100 which is in threaded engagement with an arm 101 formed integrally with the bracket 50 to extend in parallel spaced relation with the band 44. As a consequence, the set screw extremity 102 will contact with the band 44 .to enable adjustment relative to the vertical In view thereof thearticle holder bars 55 are capable of swinging movement in a clockwise direction (vlewed'from Figure 9) owing to the provision of a cam quadrant 104 which is supported by radial members 105. These are journalled at their intersecting axes to the upper extremity of the shaft 46, thereby disposing the quadrant in the path of the article holder bar extensions 106 to tilt the holder bars 55 carrying the coated cores or articles during their movement from the coating tank 62 to the discharge station 'over the drip pan. The excess coating is effectively drained from the article prior to the-- congelation thereof, this being highly desirable to conserve the coating as well as to result in a uniform casing for the confection.

Another quadrant 107 'is fixed to the radial supports at theother extremities thereof:

for disposition opposite to the 'camming quadrant 104. The quadrant107- is positioned at a radius so that the exterior rim 108 thereof will be in confronting relation with the article holder bar extensions 106 to' prevent the outward pivotal movement (see arrow A-Figure 12) of the impaling prongs 56 at the discharge station. As a consequence the attendant can manually remove the coated articles withoutany consequent displacement.

of the article holder bars which occurs during the impalement of the cores subsequent to the sizing thereof. Rotary displacement of the quadrants 104 and 107 is prevented by a rod 110 which-projects from their frame support 106 to carry a follower 111 which rides in a corres ndrngly shapedv vertical guide 112 seen to the table top'l'O. "The 'de 112 permits the ascent and descent ereof in unison with the shaft 46, thereb insurin "against rotary displacement wh ch. woul interfere with the desired timed tilting of the holders 55 as well as the engagement thereof with the quadrant 107 to preclude outward pivotal movement thereof.

Exact registration between the impaling ran 56 and the successively sized cores 82 is e ected by means of an indexing mechahim 113; The indexing mechanism constitutes in this instance, 'a disc fixed to the shaft 4:6, it being provided with semicircular notches 114 on the periphery thereof in radial alignment with the article holders 55. The notches 114 register with a rod 115fixed to the table top through the medium of a base sup ort 116. The pointed extremit 117 thereo will register and project throu the notches 114inc1dent to the descent of t e rack 44 with the shaft 46, thereby preclud- 2; ing any rotary movement of the rack 44 while the cores 82 are im aled and immersion thereof successively e ected.

Various changes may bemade in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificin any of the advantages thereof as defin in the appended claims.

- We claim: -1. In a coating machine, means for feeding confection centers, a rotatable rack having a plurality of confection holding hooks, meansfo'r lowering and raising said rack, an actuating member for imbedding said hooks in' the confection centers, and a coating ma- 40 tel-i311 tank-adapted to receive said centers one at a time as said rack is lowered.

23A machinefor coating "ice cream comrising means for slicing bars of ice cream i'om'bricks thereof, a rotatable rack having a plurality of spaced hook members, means for raising and lowering said rack, a kicker bar impinging saidhook" members for impaling said bars of ice cream thereupon, a tank "for coating material adapted to receive the W impaled bars of ice cream one at a time, and 'ine ans for intermittently rotating said rack a fraction of a revolution. g 3. A machine for coating ice cream comd a rack provided with aplurality of" hook members, means for imparting alternately rotative and reciprocal movements to said rack, mechanism for producing bars of ice cream co-jointly with the reciprocal movem ment of said rack, a kickerbar for successively mpinging said hook-members in the lowermost positionthereof, a tank adapted to 4 imituerse'inrotation the material suspended I uponsaid hooks, and guide members for said hooks adapted to tilt thecoated material ed therefrom,

moss

suspended thereon to facilitate drainage of nncongealed coating material therefromi 4; A confection coating machine comprising a rotating rack, hooked members su I dide meansadapted to tilt said hooks to di erent angles during the rotation of said rack, a frame mounting said guide means upon said 'rack for movement relative thereto, means for preventing rotative movement of said frame, and a tankfor coating material in juxtaposition to said rack.

5. In'an ice cream coating machine, a tank for coating material, a rack provided with hook members, and a pusher bar impinging said hook members, said rack and pusher bar being actuated by a single driving member, said hooks being immersed in said tank one at a time responsive to said driving member.

' 6. An ice cream coating and dipping machine comprising a frame, a prime mover, a driven shaft upon said frame, a rack slidably and rot-atably mounted upon said frame, means for intermittentl raising and lowering said rack, a gear and inion intermediate said rack, and said sha t for imparting a fractional revolution thereto in a raised position thereof, a conveyor for ice cream,a reciprocating kfmfe adapted to slice ice cream upon said conveyor, hook members upon said rack to 1m mge' the slices of ice cream, a

kicker bar or advancin said hook members toward and into said s ices of ice cream, a tankfor coating material to receive slices of ice cream carried by said hooks, aguidememher for tilting said hooks, and a second guide member for swinging said hooks outwardly from said rack.

7. An ice creamcutting and dipping 'machine as described in claim 6, including means on said shaft for rotating said rack.

8. An ice cream cutting and dipping machine asdescribed in claim 6, including means for co-jointly raisingand lowering said knife and rack.

9. An ice cream cutting and dipping machine as described in claim 6' i including means to reciprocate said guide members with said rack.

10. An icecream cutting and dipping ma chine as described in claim 6, including a" frame support and an auxiliary guide memher on said first named guide member to preventthe rotation thereof with said rack.

11. An ice cream cutting and dipping machine as described in claim 6, including a single cam member for actuating said kicker bar and said knife. 1

12. An ice cream cutting and dipping machine as described in claim 6, including means for rotating said rack and concurrently advancing said ice cream conveyor.

13. An ice cream cutting and dipping machine as described in claim 6, including means for twice reciprocating each bar ofice cream upwardly and downwardly before immersion in said tank.

14. An ice cream cutting and dipping machine as described in claim 6, including cooperating guide members for equalizing each fractional rotational movement of said rack. 15. An ice cream cutting and dipping machine as described in claim 6, a perforated plate on said rack, and a stationary memr on said frame for engaging said perforated plate during the reciprocal movement of said rack for intermittent movement correction.

16. In a dipping machine, a tank, a rack, a. tank for coating material, and dipping hooks swingably secured to said rack for immersion in said tank one at a time, and means for tilting said hooks at right angles to the direction of their swinging movement. 17. A dipping machine comprising a tank for coating material, a moving rack, a hook member, and an intermediate member for mounting said hook member on said rack and means for modifying the angular position of said hook member With respect to said rack. 18. A dipping machine comprising a tank for coating material, a rack, a holding member comprising a rod and prongs and adapted to be immersed in said tank, a carrier for said holding member to effect the attachment thereof in swin able position to said rack, said carrier mem er having an extension portion, and adjusting means cooperating with said extension portion in engagement with 3 said rack to modify the angular relation of said holding member and said rack.

HERBERT H. WEAVER. EMERSON A. BOLEN. 

